The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-05-12
FAMOUS NORTH CAROLINIANS
SOME EMINENT MEN NORTH CAR.
OLINA HAS PRODUCED.

| Extracts From Col. COWles' Address or
| the Life and Character of Gen. jaime,
Ii. Gordon.
| On Tuesday Hon. W. n. II. Cowles
member of Congress from the 9Th District
| delivered the Memorial Address in Raleigh.
His subject was Gen. James b. Gordon,
of the county of Wilkes. We present here
contribution to our series of sketches of
Famous North Carolinians, a sketch of
the life of Gen. Gordon. 1t is in Col.
Cowles' own words, and Col Cowles knew
him long and we'll, and is competent to
speak of his career.-EDITOR.
Col. Cowles said:
North Carolina was slow to act because
she wished, if it were possible, to obtain
an amicable adjustment and guarantees
for the protection Of Ter const .tutional
rights; but all efforts failing, when she did
act no people responded with more prompt
ness to make good every responsibility and
obligation which they had assumed toward
the new government than did the people
of North Carolina; and among the first to
tender their services and aid in this her
hour Of peril and need, WAS James B. Cor
don. of Wilkes. From the first, should
war become inevitable, Gordon was in ia
vor of North Carolina taking her position
with the South; and opposed to any neu-
tral ground. In fact there was nothing
neutral in his character. Clear and posi-
tive in his convictions, he never failed to
have the courage to maintain them. His
opinion was that should North Carolina
attempt to maintain neutral position,
her soil would be drenched with the blood
of both sides and her own precious heart
would be torn cut by contendiug factions of
its own people. Our good old mother never
had son that loved her better, nor one
that would sooner have laid doxn his own
life 70 protect her from violence or out
rage.
AT the first call to arms he stepped forth
a avolunteer in the ''Wiikes Valley Guards :"
Upon the organization of the company he
was chosen 1st Lieutenant with Montford
sydney Stokes as Captain The company
WAS at once accepted by the Governor
went into CAM, al Warrenton, y. G.. and
upon the organization of the first regi-
ment of State troops it was made Co ~
Of that regiment with Capt Stokes as
Colonel and Gordon was promoted TO Cap
tain OF the Company
He was the son Of Nathaniel Gordon,
who for several years was chosen and Sery
ed as representative of Wilkes county in
the General Assembly OF North Carolina.
He died when James was about five years
Old. At the age of 10 years, James WAS
placed at school and under the instruction
Of Peter ). Ney, who at that time taught
On Hunting Creek, IredelI county, near
the residence Of Samuel Young. Esq, with
whom James boarded.
At this period tue health of our young
student was not robust and ut the end Of
TWO years he was taken from school and
placed upon the farm, where IN the per
formance Of such light labor as was suited
to his age and strength. he grew up, de
vcloping into finely formed young man.
At about the age OF eighteen he entered
as a student at Emory and Henry College,
Va. Here he did not take the regular
course, but remained some two or three
years. and returning to Wilhesboro en-
tered into business us a merchant. he
continued in this business and in the
superintendent of his valuable farm,
which was the gift of his father, occa-
sionally mingling Ill politics, representing
his county in the Legislature of 1880, aud
always active when his services were re
qUired by his party or friends until the
breaking out of the war. At this time he
was a model of manly beauty, tail, well
formed, with erect, manly bearing, hand
some features, eyes of dark grey or hazel.
with an expression in which resolution of
mind and kindliness of heart were happily
blended Courtliness of manner was nat
ura' to him, yet he was only too proud to
cOuItenance a mean action, and gave with
a liberal hand to the deserving poor.
The humblest soldier in the ranks. after
he became one, had in him always a
staunch friend. and those who still live,
and who were once his slaves, remember
him as the kind young master Of whom
they were proud, and the love and respect
they felt for him as such awakens even
now their kindly sympathy and regret at
his loss. His grandfather, George Cor
don, came to this State from Spotsylvania
county, Virginia, and acquired a settle
ment in what was then known IFS "Mul-
berry Fields near the present site of
Wilkesboro. This was the brother of the
great-grand- father of that distinguished
soldier and now eminent statesman, Gen.
John B. Gordon, of Georgia. His great
grand father and great-great grand father
are buried IN the family burying ground
on the estate now owned by members of
the family at WilkesborO. His father,
John George Gordon, the greats grand
father of Gen. Gordon. when quite a young
man, came to this country from Scotland,
about the year 1924, landing in the colony
of Maryland, where he remained IA few
years, and whilst there, according to the
family tradition, his good looks and pre-
possessing appearance were too much for
the heart of fair young Mary Chapman
and in spite of the opposition of her
wealthy uncle, DR.. James Chapman, who
contemplated making her his heir, and
had other aspirations for his pretty niece
than the hand of the adventurous young
Scotchman, yet in this case as i'll many
others the course of true love proved too
strong for the plans of age, and the young
couple were married and at once removed
to Spotsylvania county, Virginia, near
Fredericksburg, where they reared a large
family. These genealogical facts and ira
ditious of the family trace their lineal
descent back to the ancient family of Cor
don, so conspicuousiy known in Scottish
history the same family names recurring
all along the line a.:d the courage. patriot
ism and fidelity to their convictions of
right for which they in their day were 80
renowned have been most splendidly "X-
emplfied in the career of hlm TO whose
memory these exercises have been especial
ly set apart.
During the encampment of the 1st regi
ment of infantry of North Carolina State
troops near Warrenton the 1t North Caro-
lima cavalry doth regiment OF State troops)
was ordered to rendezvous near RldgcWay,
Warren Co. at a point that we knew us